Lab Report - Precision and Accuracy Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

- Precision and Accuracy - Lab Report Example The determiner of accuracy is the percentage error, which is valued at 0.06%. Some of these include the lack of experience and poor technique, which actually both go together for when there is lack of experience, the immediate result would be poor technique. Poor technique may be attributed to the parallax error, or the failure to put the eye at a level which is aligned properly to the volume mark of the pipette. This means that if one is looking up the pipette, one can see a meniscus placed too high when it appears to align with the volume mark. In the same way, if one is looking down at the pipette, the meniscus will then be too low when it appears to align with the volume mark. In fact, aside from errors in the placement of the eye with reference to the volume mark, lack of experience and poor technique also translate as the failure of properly aligning the meniscus with the volume mark. ... his means that it would be very hard to control the force by which the solution should be ejected out of the pipette, thus the delivered solution may be slightly more than what is expected. Although there is a standard amount of force when it comes to delivering the solution out of the pipette, the deviation from the standard is brought about by individual differences as no two or three people can exactly deliver the solution out of the pipette using the same amount of force. Besides, this force is too little and is very hard to quantify and estimate physically. Another possible source of error or deviation from the absolute value of the solution is the possibility that the pipette is dirty or the solution is contaminated, thus there is a possibility that tiny droplets of the solution are left on the walls of the pipette resulting in the delivery of too little solution (â€Å"Sources of Error in Pipetting†). Moreover, dirt in the pipette, no matter how little, may cause a slig ht obstruction in the flow of the outgoing solution thus there is also a possibility that the pipette amount of solution is less than what is expected. Another possible source of error or deviation from the absolute or expected value is the possibility of a broken or chipped pipette, no matter how small the break is (â€Å"Sources of Error in Pipetting†). Such a break may cause a disruption in the natural flow of the liquid out of the pipette, thus the outgoing solution is also less than the expected amount. Part B: Conclusion The volume delivered by the pipette was calculated to be 9.99+/- 0.02 mL. The slight change of +/- 0.02 mL is due to a number of factors such as differences in time elapsed during transfer of liquid, possible change in temperature, possible change in evaporation rate, lack of

Personal Reflection Essay Example for Free

Personal Reflection Essay This reflection will discuss personal diffidence and how it has influenced my academic studies, including my practice within placement settings. Gibbs reflective cycle (Gibbs, 1998) has been utilised as it illustrates a clear structure for the process of reflection. To conclude this reflection will draw together the themes which have emerged and highlight a clear action for future learning that will be used in order to enhance my future practice. Within my previous occupation as a health care assistant I was subject to workplace bulling which was allowed to continue for an extensive period of time due to ineffective management of the situation. Vartia (2001, p. 68) suggests that one of the consequences for the targets of workplace bulling is a feeling of low self confidence. This is indeed true of myself; although this occurred prior to commencement of university, I perceive that I am diffident stemming from this experience. This diffidence has influenced my academic studies and my practice upon placement. Feelings: I feel that I find it challenging to settle down within new groups of people. Whilst on placement I feel it takes a significant amount of time to work within my fullest capacity within the team. Spouse (2008, p. 21) state that entering a new placement area can be a daunting experience; suggesting this may be because you are joining a team of strangers who already know each other. However I feel that my previous experience has heightened my apprehension and indeed Bach and Grant (2009) suggest past experience contributes to our attitudes and values and affects what we notice about other peoples behaviour and how we interpret it. Therefore I may unintentionally be vigilant for behaviour that represents past experience. I feel I become emotive when conflict arises both upon placement and within the university environment; therefore I have a tendency to avoid sources of conflict. Furthermore; although I am aware of the need to challenge poor practice witnessed and have done so within the past; it is something that I find particularly challenging and uncomfortable to deal with. I find it uncomfortable to challenge people because I perceive this as a negative source of conflict. I am somewhat afraid of the reactions this may evoke and the impact this could have on my working relationships within the team I am placed. Within my academic studies in the university learning environment specifically; this diffidence has manifested as an apprehension of speaking within groups. This is especially apparent when it is required to perform group presentations. Although my one to one communication and communication within familiar groups is of good quality, communication within unfamiliar groups can be hindered by this diffidence. I am concerned that if allowed to continue; diffidence could be detrimental to my future practice as a nurse. Hagbaghery et (2004) qualitative research findings suggest that nurses perceive competence and self confidence as the most important personal factors influencing nurses clinical decision making, therefore in order to enhance my future practice I feel that it is imperative that I overcome this. Evaluation: Upon evaluation of these feelings I perceive I have progressed and gained confidence thus far, however there is still margin for improvement. I feel that upon a recent eight week placement period whereby I moved across four placement settings; I had an abundance of practice within adapting and participating within new teams. Although I felt that transition across four settings somewhat hindered myself working to my fullest capacity; the positive aspect of this was that it facilitated gain in self confidence. Nash, Lemcke and Sacre (2008) suggest that initially when encountering a new workplace culture trying to be accepted within this new culture can be uncomforting and lead to feelings of inadequacy; however by the end of this eight week period I feel I gained a significant amount of self confidence and I felt confident with my ability to integrate into new teams effectively. Communication is the interaction with people and is at the core of nursing according to McCabe and Timmins (2006, p. 4), therefore I acknowledge that in order to work to my fullest capacity within the nursing profession it is imperative I overcome this apprehension of speaking within groups and performing presentations. I have reflected upon previous experiences within university; contrasting performing our first group presentation to a recent group presentation experience. I perceive a vast improvement however again there is still margin for improvement and gain in confidence. Brankenbridge and Blows (2008, p. 216) have highlighted that there are different ways in which you can challenge, constructive and destructive. Constructive challenges highlight alternatives and leave the person with something of which they can reflect upon, build upon and change. Destructive challenges are delivered in an unskilful fashion leaving the person who has been challenged feeling put down and bad and potentially could be a source of conflict and negative feeling. This is why in the past I have perceived challenging people in practice as a negative action, possibly due to lacking differentiation between destructive and constructive criticism. Analysis: Although I perceive myself as diffident upon analysis I am unaware of how others may perceive my self. According to Barber, McLaughlin and Wood (2009, p. 76) The Johari Window; Luft and Ingham (1955) can show us aspects of ourselves that we believe is how others perceive us, however they further suggest that these aspects may only be a small part of our ‘personality’ as a whole and not necessarily how others perceive ourselves. Which means although I perceive myself as diffident; others may not necessarily perceive my self in this manner and it is essentially necessary that I develop further self awareness. Barber, McLaughlin and Wood (2009, p. 76) perceive development of self awareness as crucial in highlighting how we view and respond to others and in turn how they view and respond to us. The National Health Service (NHS) Modernisation Agency Leadership Centre (2005) have corroborated this view by suggesting self awareness can assist with understanding ones own emotions and the impact of one’s behaviour on others. Therefore one of the many benefits of self awareness for myself may be understanding my colleagues, learning to relax, identifying my strengths and weaknesses and indentifying my own learning needs, Burnard (1997). I perceive assertiveness of which Siviter (2008, p. 116) defines as respecting the rights and feelings of others whilst standing up for yourself and your own rights as a necessary skill which will further facilitate a gain in self confidence. In order to be assertive it is necessary to possess the ability to express your feelings in a direct, open, honest and appropriate manner. Breckenbridge and Blows (2008, p. 217) further suggest that assertive communication is the key to successful relationships for patients, family, nurses and colleagues alike; therefore further development of my assertive communication skills will enhance my future practice and communication with staff, family and patients alike. Development of assertive communication skills may aid when and if the need arises in future practice to challenge colleague’s actions or the actions of people in general. Indeed Breckenridge and Blows (2008, p. 17) suggest assertiveness is a key feature within effective challenging and therefore is an essential skill of which is required to be developed. Assertiveness aids conveyance of important messages and helps individuals stand up for the rights of themselves and others; one example of such being advocacy. Advocacy is reflected within The code in full (Nursing and Midwifery Council, 2008) who state that nurses must act as an advocate for those within their care. Therefore learning to be assertive is not a choice, it is a must if I am to live up to what is expected of me within my role as a student and future nurse. Conclusion and Action Plan: The challenge for the future is that I totally overcome this diffidence. I envisage being able to achieve by developing self awareness. I could develop self awareness by using a tool such as The Johari Window. Academically the challenge is to overcome apprehension regarding communication with unfamiliar groups of colleagues. I anticipate achieving this by taking more time to consider what I am going to before I begin and being prepared for situations where I am required to speak. With regard to performing presentations I will be prepared and rehearse what I am going to say in advance.

Portrayal Of Women In Hip Hop Songs English Literature Essay

Portrayal Of Women In Hip Hop Songs English Literature Essay Disrespecting and Violent Attitude toward Women. It has been around three decades since hip hop emerged on the American cultural scene. The music genres which are associated with hip hop cultural phenomenon, especially gangsta rap and R B are believed to define street youth culture. These two hip hop music subgenres seem to be more influential than the other as there is more emphasis put on lyrical content than the music itself. The abundance of explicit words and messages in the songs makes them also controversial. Before listening to gangsta rap songs, one must be prepared most of all to hear extremely explicit language. The great number of derogatory terms embedded in the song lyrics is especially disturbing as they are greatly addressed to women women of colour in particular. Most of the cases involve name calling and violent attitude directed more likely at women in general than a particular person. Women in those songs are mostly placed in a sexual context and called e.g., bi tch, whore, hoochie, slut. Promoting violent sex theme was well documented in the Kubrin and Weizers research on the sample of 403 Amercian hip hop songs produced throughout the 1992-2000 but also noted in other articles/books etc. on the songs from the period 1987 1993.  [1]  The scholars have found that the main purpose of such songs is to justify violence against women and make it a legitimate tool of social control.  [2]  In such a view hip hop music promotes a set of gendered norms and enforces sanctions for those who do not abide those set up rules. Eminems song Kill You,  [3]  for example, describes women as vile, venomous, volatile bitches. Many other popular rappers, like Redman, Outcast, degrade women to being a chickenhead coined by association with giving oral sex. Whilst such terms are commonly perceived as pejorative, there are instances they may sound somewhat positive. One of the most successful rappers, Ludacris, in his hit song Pimpin All Over the Wor ld raps: I used to think that it was way too cold, til I went to Canada and saw some beautiful hoesà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦Ã‚  [4]  And according to Ja Rule every thug needs a down ass bitch  [5]  , i.e. a girl who is tough, and demonstrates her solidarity with her man and the gang they belong to. While these terms may not carry derogatory connotations in these songs, women are still positioned here within the sexual perspective. Interesting to notice is a fact that offensive terms aimed towards men are usually words with feminine connotation (bitch, pussy): Im slick and slippery/ On a high-speed chase all the way to the victory. / Yall niggaz is stone cold mysteries. / Too weak, cant stand in the ring with me. / Put a pussy back in his place, straightlaced.  [6]  It also seems like to humiliate women goes hand in hand with getting respect from the other men. Men are referred to be pimps who can get a lot of hoes. (à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦) Legalize pimpin for all the pleyas, puttin fine a ss bitches in the streets and the hood.  [7]  While in most of the songs degrading women motif would appear randomly throughout the song, there are also cases in which that would be the main theme. The best example is Too $horts Aint Nothing Like Pimpin: Aint nothing like a mother fucking bitch! / You nasty, once a month bleeding, mother fucking, nasty ass, mother fucking bitch! / I hate your mother fucking ass. To justify their attitude towards women, many rappers give many reasons for doing so, such as women being too shallow: We couldnt get no play from the ladies. / With seven niggas in a Nav [Navigator] is you crazy?/ So we all said fuck you bitch and kept rolling.  [8]   Sometimes verbal disrespecting turns into violent threatening. According to Kubrin and Weizer aggression towards women appeared in almost 18 percent of the hip hop songs analyzed by them.  [9]  Extreme hostility towards women represent the songs of Eminems where he attacks his relatives, especially his mother and ex wife in Under the Influence : all bitches is hoes, even my stinkin ass mom.  [10]  He even threatens to kill them: Bitch Ima kill you! / You dont wanna fuck with me. / Girls leave you aint nuttin but a slut to me. He also seems to be perfectly aware of the fact his lyrics cause controversy. In the same song he admits to that: Oh, now hes raping his own mother/abusing a whore, snorting coke/ and we gave him the Rolling Stone cover? (Eminem, Kill you)  [11]   Violence covers a broad spectrum in hip hop. Not only is it perceived as a legitimate tool of manipulation between men but also serves as an answer for disobedience of women. Such insubordination is interpreted in many ways. According to the rapper Dr. Dre: snobby-ass bitches get slapped out of spite.  [12]  Another popular performer Mase warns his potential sex victims to get tested on sexually transmitted diseases beforehand or else: If she make my nuts itch, I kill that slut bitch.  [13]  Eminem seems to have issues with women in general and promotes violence as the only communication means between men and women. Usurping and assuming power on women in hip hop songs are often represented by descriptions of rough sex: Hit you with the dick, make your kidneys shift/ Im guaranteed to fuck her till her nose bleed.  [14]  Kubrin and Weizer noted four recurring instances of violence in the American gangsta rap songs. Rappers pride themselves on sex acts that are harmful to women. They justify other acts of violence and threaten women who try to defy male supremacy. They also seem to encourage other men to resort to violence acts whenever they find it suitable. Violence seems to be the most appropriate response to women who abuse such gendered protocol, i.e. dont know their place. Women as Sexual Objects The notion of sexual objectification means that a person is perceived through the prism of physical attractiveness with disregard to the persons intellectual abilities.  [15]  Kubrin and Weizer, in their paper on the misogyny in rap music stated that sexual objectification of women was noted in 67 percent of the songs analyzed.  [16]  The main conclusion drawn from these lyrics is that women are only good to satisfy mens sexual pleasures. The title of one of the N.W.A songs, Findum, Fuckum, and Flee. may serve as creed of the street code, according to which mens goal would be pursuit of pleasure and sexual exploitation of women.  [17]  Puff Daddys intentions are brazenly blatant in: Call me Sean if you suck, call me gone when I nut. / Thats the end of us, get your friend to fuck  [18]  . While his fellow rapper, Too $hort, honestly admits the only thing he would try to get from women is sex without strings attached: I aint Romeo, Prince Charming, or a knight in shinin g armor./ Im only out to fuck a bitch, fuck tryin to charm her. I treat a fine ass bitch like dirt./ No money in her purse, a fuck is all its worth./ Cause Short Dawgll never cater to you hoes./ And if you aint fuckin, I say later to you hoes.  [19]   A pretty disturbing fact surfaced in this Xzibits song. Judging by the lyrics, women are considered to be mens property: You got titties and ass./ But I got a dick and some cash./You aint talkin bout shit./ Then Ima smash, bitch./ On three, on me, bitch, you my property.  [20]  This brings back to life one of the atrocities of slavery, when black women were often forced to keep exploitive sexual relations with their slave masters in exchange for better treatment, food, or simply to satisfy the oppressors urge.  [21]  It seems that even though the American society has come a long way from the times of slavery, black women are nowhere near to being treated as free, independent individuals. As the American culture critic bell hooks points in her book Aint I a Woman: Black Women and Feminism, that black women in America have been oppressed from the seventeenth century till today by white men, black men as well as white women. She argues that women of colour have been omitted by the white feminist movement as well as the civil rights movement. The author perceives feminist movement as being a white middle and upper class struggle which showed no interest in issues of women of colour. Black women found themselves trapped into confines both gender and race. Thus, they have never been liberated from the institutionalized sexism patriarchy, and racism. Additionally, in bell hooks opinion the Black Power movement was both patriarchal, misogynistic. As much as it aimed to overcome racial divisions it also sought to reinforce the sexist ones.  [22]  Black male attitude towards their female counterparts presented in number of hip hop songs manifests their pursuit to keep women subordinate. Nowadays many rappers often express how they would put women in the right spot, as Too $hort: Hoes be nothin but slaves for me, / ready to go to their graves for me. (Too $hort, Pimp Me)  [23]  , or Xzibit: (à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦) Im hard on my hoes thats how it goes./ Bitch, get up off your toes, and get my six-four [Chevrolet] (Xibit, Pussy Pop).  [24]   Daniel Patrick Moynihan, an American politician and sociologist, in his report The Negro Family: The Case for National Action, also known as Moynihan Report, released in 1965 analyzed the data from the U.S. department of labor and drew a conclusion that black women had significant advantages over the black men to be employed thus they could provide for the family more effectively. He also suggested that the traditional African American household is ruled by the matriarchal and emasculating women, an archetypical Mammy, which would imply that black men were symbolically castrated by their female counterparts. In order to stop degradation of the Negro family, black men need to seek the ways to restore their manhood.  [25]  The lyrics of contemporary hip hop songs suggest that by degrading women, rappers may seek to regain their manhood. They suggest that the only desirable image of a black woman is the promiscuous and oversexed one as in Redmans: I turn an independent woman back in to a hoochie.  [26]  Notorious B.I.G. humiliates educated girls: I like em educated, so I can bust off on their glasses.  [27]  These stereotypical images have their roots in the times of slavery in America. Southern white males would consider black men and especially women as possessed by their hypersexuality. The reason for such supposition might be cultural differences between Western Europe and Africa of the time. European travelers who visited Africa were often stunned to see semi nude native black women and commonly accepted polygamy. Nakedness in that time was perceived as a manifestation of indecency. The travelers embraced such a shocking experience by assuming that all black women are promiscuous by nature. They contrast between the clothed Victorian ladies and naked native African women may have prompted assumptions that white women, on the contrary to black women, are civilized and sexually pure. Hence the symbol of black women reinforced by such depiction was Je zebel.  [28]  It seems that African American women could not escape from the image of an instinctively promiscuous Jezebel assigned to them back in the slavery era. Stereotypes that were set at that time still affect black women nowadays. What is more, the stereotype of a seductive and lewd black woman has been perpetuated by their male counterparts. As the Jezebel image applied to black slave women might have been a way to justify maltreatment they were given, such reasoning applies also today.  [29]  Another justification for disrespecting women may be a fierce peer pressure on young men in ghettos. Male promiscuity is highly valued there.  [30]  Casual sex with no commitment gets a man proud patch of a player, proves of his masculinity and helps to get respect from the others: I had niggas making bets like, did he fuck her yet?/ Ask her did he touch her bra, when I say nah they say ahh / So tomorrow I use that pressure to undress her.  [31]  The Kubrins research s hows that bragging about sexual achievements was present in 58 percent of the songs.  [32]  Most of it implied how easy for a player is to talk a girl into having sex: You see I order one bottle, then I fuck with one model/ Then I order more bottles, now I/ got more models/ Im from that city where them niggaz dont play mayn/ I take a chick to my/ room like caveman/ So ask your girlfriend my name (à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦).  [33]   Women are also treated as a symbol of achievement. Having a lot of casual sex proves that you are either a player or have a lot of money. As these seem to be the only means of getting a girl into sexual intercourse in the ghetto: Say dog, what kinda nigga be on top of the world?/Million dollar status got me on top of ya girl.  [34]  Ability to sexually please a girl is perceived as a symbol of your high status. Below there is an example of how the rappers fondle their ego in that matter: While your bitch be crying please dont stop. . . I fuck her like I know you wont./ If thats your bitch, homeboy youd better keep her Cause she wont stay off my beeper.  [35]  The female is used here just to partake in a sexual competition between men. Women cannot be granted any respect from the rappers, as they are described to be as much interested in heavy drinking, sex, and money as men. The only difference here is that a man will be positively referred to as a player or a pimp but a girl will be always called a bitch. Lyrics imply that if a girl is being promiscuous and greedy it also justifies the maltreatment she receives from men as in hit song The Gangsta, the Killa, and the Dope Dealer: All on the grass [marijuana], every bitch passed [out]/ A first not last, when we all hit the ass.  [36]  Women are treated as a commodity which can be consumed, used, passed to someone else and given out: I know the pussys mines, Ima fuck a couple more times/ And then Im through with it, theres nothing else to do with it./ Pass it to the homie, now you hit it/ Cause she aint nuthin but a bitch to me.  [37]   Prostitutes are the classic example of sexual objectification and exploitation. Such image of a woman is to be expected in hip hop music since it has emerged out of ghetto setting. This theme has been found present in one-fifth of the songs analyzed by Kubrin and Weizer.  [38]  Prostitution and pimping are celebrated by rappers and classified as a justifiable means of economic achievement.  [39]  These themes do not seem to be taken into consideration by any other music genre. Some rappers to get more credibility claim to have been a real life pimps ( Ice- T, Snoop Dogg, Jay-Z, K-Luv). Pimping has a broader meaning in hip hop than just managing prostitutes. To pimp something can mean to sponsor it or to accessorize it. The term pimp is often used as a substitute for player, a man who mastered in seducing women or hustlers who show off with their nouveau riche assets  [40]  . This kind of a pimp chic imagery is a popular topic among rappers. Some even devote the whole song s to glamorize such lifestyle: The fancy cars, the women and the caviar. /You know who we are/cuz were pimpin all over the world.  [41]  There is also a number of rap songs in which we can find a lot of references to the standard definition of a pimp man who headhunts and employs prostitutes. Kubrins research takes into account this standard definition and notes that this theme was detected in 20 percent of the misogynistic songs.  [42]  Most of them contain the same message that women are good only to sell sex and men can usurp the right to access to their bodies: No need for rest haven these hoes Lets show em what they pussy made fo Lets me and you lay in these hoes And show em what they pussy made foà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ . Lets leave without payin these hoes And show em what they pussy made fo.  [43]   Such images are present even in RNB which is supposed to be focused more on the rhythm and music than less abundant in explicit lyrical content: Ace mizzy get all the hoes. /Gonna teach them shit they want to know. / Like fuck that pussy ass 9-4 girl./ Make that bucket a pot of gold.  [44]  These lyrics convey extremely disturbing misogynistic messages especially that hip hop aspires to be considered as a true voice of the urban ghetto. In that case, judging by the lyrics, the ghetto seems to inhabit pimps, pimps in training and prostitutes. While women are being described as sexual objects, men get the message to cherish the life of a pimp. Women seem to be painted with the same brush and not considered as an individual human beings. The only interaction between these two parties boils down to a scenario of what a pimp would do to a prostitute. Women Not to Be Trusted Another piece of advice, recurring in many hip hop songs, is the one that a man has to be careful of whom they put trust in. And women seem to be the least trustworthy. According to Kubrin and Weizer almost half of the misogynistic songs exposed such attitude of distrust towards women.  [45]  Another fact worth noticing here is that the lack of trust is directed at all women with no exception. All women in general are considered tricky evil creatures. For some rappers a question How could you trust a ho?  [46]  is rather a rhetorical one. Others unveil specific reasons why they cant trustem. In a song byà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ a young girl is not only promiscuous but also will surely lie to you about her age which will get you in trouble and most likely put you in prison: See nowadays man you got to know these bitches age/ Cause they ass be real fast when they be goin through that phase. / You fuck a girl thats young, and you gonna end up in the cage.  [47]  Women solidarity is c riticized. There will be no point in defending yourself as the mother will be on her little girls side: Cause her mom aint tryin to hear that you never knew her age.  [48]  Not only do women stand up for one another but will also try to get some material compensation from you. Some rappers, like Nas, warn that it is a bad idea to force women into having sex, not because of the atrocity of this act, but rape accusation that may follow: Dont take the pussy, if she fightin/ Cause you saw what happened to Tupac and Mike Tyson./ Specially if you large [famous], some hoes is trife [petty]/ Get you on a rape charge, have you servin your life.  [49]  Despite being convicted of rape, a legendary boxer Mike Tyson and rapper Tupac Shakur, were considered as the most celebrated heroes of the hip hop generation in 1990s. This fact well illustrates the gender conflict of that generation. During and after the trial, many black male church leaders defended Tyson claiming that the whole proc ess was an attempt of the white supremacist to destroy a well-known black man. The president of the National Baptist convention in USA was suspected for offering a bribe to the Tysons complainant. For a substantial back male part of the society the issue was not about gender but about racism.  [50]  This example proves of an extreme solidarity within African American male society. Countless hip hop lyrics strongly reinforce the idea of conspiracy theory that is supposedly drawn by the evil system and women. Tyson was accused and sentenced for a date rape on 18- year-old Miss Black Road Island. Tupac Shakur heard the same charges from his groupie whom he forced to have a group sexual intercourse with. These two events may have influenced a number of hip hop artists who eagerly express a lot of distrust in beautiful women. Such attitude against beautiful women permeates throughout many hip hop songs. It seems to be more than certain these ladies will try to deceive you with their looks and take advantage of you in no time. They are considered by the rappers to be decoys for set up. There are number of songs which describe such procedure: You know they [women] might be the one to set me up. / Wanna get they little brother to wet [kill] me upà ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦/ Bitches be schemin, I kid ya not. / Thats why I keep my windows locked and my Glock cocked.  [51]   Another way for women to set men up is to get pregnant. This seems to be not only the concern of the rappers, but also a common prejudice among the male in ghetto neighborhoods. Anderson states that to claim a child is against the street code of hit and run  [52]  . The rappers warn their male audience: Why plant seeds in a dirty bitch, waitin to trick me?/ Not the life for me.  [53]  Owning up to pregnancy means not only breech of the code but also commitment which is condemned by the peers. But the greatest concern of men would be paying child support: I aint lettin nothin leak cause if things leak, then Im a get caught/ And I cant get caught cause you know how they do it about that child support./ Shit, bitches is cold on a nigga who aint got his game tight/ Getting 18.5 percent [child support payments] half your life.  [54]  Generally speaking, collection of child support is a problem in the times of crisis, especially for unqualified African-American workers. A tough choice has to be made, whether to cater for your own needs or your childs. As the money for the children upbringing goes to their mothers pockets, the male frustration and resentment towards women grows. Being broke does not match the image of the self-proclaimed pimp or a player. No more player, no Shorty the Pimp I get paid, divert a check and get 40 percent. All the homies talkin bad, hair down, walkin sad Got the broad livin with me, baby sayin Dad!à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦ I could try to mack again but the bitches wont want me Cause Im all washed up, broke, fat, and funky. I lost everything that I worked to be Never thought Id be a trick, payin hoes to serve me.  [55]   The lyrics make it obvious that women cannot be trusted because they are a hazard to men pimps. If they do not get you in prison or ridicule you in front of your peers and hinder your image of a thug, they well surely drain your pocket. And this is what rappers seem to be the most anxious about. Getting rich ( à ¢Ã¢â€š ¬Ã‚ ¦or die trying by 50Cent)  [56]  seems to be the mostly frequent motive of all. And the streets seem to be filled with gold diggers on the prowl only interested in you because of your money: Watch the honeys check your style/ Worthless, when they worship, what you purchase./They only see ice [diamonds], not me, under the surface/Whats the purpose?  [57]  Gold Digger by Kanye West may serve as the best example of a song that describes a seductive, yet greedy woman who takes advantage of men.  [58]  This type of a woman is mostly feared by those men who climbed up the social ladder, became businessmen, or celebrities and like to show off their recently acquired wealth. They (who?) are considered to be the easiest targets as they feel no limits for dispensing money and boast about their affluence. She (who is she?) is described as a very tricky cutie the bomb. Once she has set her sight on her super rich male target, the first thing she will try to do is charm him by her gorgeous looks, and seduce him. She will try to blend in his elite circle to get to him. In no time she will make him spend money on her and her friends and he will do it just to impress her. And if you expect to get a chance with her you would better comply with the rules of her game. Her main goal is to secure her life with her preys money. If she fails to drag his feet down the aisle, she will get pregnant just to get secure her life with his money anyway. Oftentimes it happens that after eighteen years of paying the child support the baby turns out to be not his. Whilst men in hip hop songs do not see anything wrong in taking advantage of women, they seem to fe ar of getting such favor returned by them. Their concern is also not to get ridiculed in front of other men. If that happens, Kanye West gives them a self explanatory answer back: she aint messin wit no broke niggaz.  [59]  There is also a message to black women in general in the last stanza of this song. No matter if you are a gold digger or you are being a down to earth girl and stick to your man regardless of his material status, there is a bad ending for you anyway. If he is ambitious enough, he will get rich sooner or later. However when it happens, he will: leave your ass for a white girl. This suggests that white women are ranked higher than black women in the hip hop social hierarchy. According to the findings of the study on the he effect of images of African American women in hop hop on adolescents sleek hair texture and lighter skin tone would be considered as the main determinants of female attractiveness  [60]  . These traits would be most sought for by both mal e and female who participated in the survey. Also historically these features were used as measures of social, political and economic significance for African Americans. Those who resembled European Americans would be located higher in the American social strata.  [61]  Such supposition may have influenced the pursuit of white women by black men. The image of a strong, emasculating black woman versus a pure and submissive Vi

Human Resources Management Essay -- Business Management Studies Essays

Human Resources Management RECRUITMENT AND SELECTION 1. Introduction Task 1 1. A report distinguishing between traditional personnel management and the new approach to human resource management, outlining their historical development. 2. The Human Resource department in TD Travel Group. Its role and purpose in the organization. Task 2 1. An analysis of the objectives and the process of human resource planning. 2. An evaluation of the systematic approach to recruitment for NIS Europe. 3. An investigation of the selection procedures used for NIS Europe and TD Travel Group. 3. Evaluation and Conclusion 4. Bibliography Task 1 TASK 2 AN ANALYSIS OF THE OBJECTIVES AND THE PROCESS OF HUMAN RESOURCE PLANNING. Human resource planning is the task of assessing and anticipating the skill, knowledge and labour time requirements of the organisation and initiating action to fulfill those requirements. Human resource planning involves a strategy for the:  · Recruitment  · Retention  · Utilisation  · Improvement, and  · Disposal of the human resources of a business. It needs to look at the following factors: * What are the skills and abilities of the current workforce? * What skills and abilities the organisation needs in the future? * Where can the organisation find its future supply of labour? * What are the future objectives of the business likely to be? * How will the business manage and obtain its human resources to meet these objectives? In order to plan Human Resources effectively a business has to undertake considerable research. Here is a table showing the things companies have consider when planning human resources: What is happening now? ... ...by HRM to introduce new employees to the organisation, in all its social as well as work aspects. Stage nine- Review all candidates Review un–interviewed candidates and sort out those that my be kept on file for possible future use. Send standard letters to unsuccessful to applicants and holding letters to those being kept on file. NIS Europe will hold candidates on file for a maximum of one year. TD Travel group do not use this procedure, they would start their informal recruitment process again as and when required. SUMMARY OF THE SELECTION PROCESS FOR TD TRAVEL GROUP AND NIS EUROPE It is evident from the above information that NIS Europe carries out a more formal selection procedure than TD Travel Group. This is down to the fact that NIS Europe have more employees than TD Travel Group, and therefore see it necessary to have a HR department.

RH Bill Essay

RH Bill is plausible yet we cannot be sure about what will be the incoming effect of it in the Philippines. The government says that the main problem here is poverty and with RH Bill, there would be a decrease in population so that poverty in relatively with population also decreases. Yes, the government has a point in that sense but morally speaking, is it what God wants us to do? There are some people who agrees with RH Bill because as we all know, the use of contraceptive will make us unfertile; and if a woman is unfertile, it will not become pregnant. Let us all be open-minded and say that nowadays, teens are engaging in sexual activities. Teens are truly engaging with sex. Most of them who engages with sex will be pregnant. If they are still not that responsible enough to have a child, they have an option to abort the child or not; if not, then the couple will most likely suffer in having an early marriage. I respect the opinion of others about their decision upon agreeing in this bill but they should have an understanding that when RH Bill is going to be a law, then the Philippines will somewhat be liberated. I passed upon a guy who is not a Pro nor a Con in RH Bill but has a point in telling us that, â€Å"I wouldn’t directly say that I am against it†¦but I wouldn’t also say that I am with it†¦on the surface, the law seems to be plausible†¦it is actually verging on good to great†¦but as Filipinos, the separation of the state to the church isn’t actually complied because as Filipinos, our value for life and morality is sky high†¦but we cannot also change the fact that we are not the most responsible people in the world†¦many youths that I know here on our place is actually engaging in sexual activities and they suffer for it†¦we can’t change the fact that we need to control the situation before it gets worst†¦guys, we ’re 92,681,453 and counting as we talk†¦we can’t just sit†¦we have to do something†¦ the church is here to teach the people of the values†¦the government and the state is here to implement the values that the church teaches†¦but if she can’t do the teaching, the state shall act upon doing what is right on his eye†¦let the church be the church and the state be the state†¦Ã¢â‚¬  but we must be careful about its effect. This guy has a good point in everything but teenagers who experienced early pregnancy should face their own consequences rather than encouraging other youths to engage in sex. Well, literally speaking, the RH Bill doesn’t encourage teens to engage in sexual activities but figuratively speaking, this bill somewhat encourages the teens to engage because of the thought that they won’t get pregnant and thus they’d be more liberated than ever. I respect the the governments’ idea about RH Bill because in the first place, they don’t want any abortion happening here in the Philippines nor having poverty because of having a child at an early age but I tell you, POPULATION is not the main issue here in the Philippines(well maybe a part) but POVERTY. Don’t tell me that poverty happens because of overpopulation. Well maybe yes†¦ but not the main reason. It is the CORRUPTION happening in our government’s the MAIN ISSUE here. Why concentrate in RH Bill when we should first plan a good system that helps the people in the Philippines which poverty will most likely decline. As a citizen here in the Philippines and as a Christian or a Catholic, would you like to have a liberated country? An immoral society? Think about it. Even though the RH Bill has a lot of benefits, it doesn’t mean we should make the disadvantages of the bill happen.

Informative Essay Sample on Walt Whitman What Is Known About the Poet

Informative Essay Sample on Walt Whitman What Is Known About the Poet Walt Whitman was arguably one of America’s most significant and groundbreaking poets. He was born on May 31, 1819 into a working class family in West Hills, New York. Whitman was the second son of Walter Whitman Sr. who was both a carpenter and a farmer. The Sr. Whitman was never very successful at either occupation; however, he moved his family to Brooklyn in 1823 in order to follow a career as a house builder. Whitman attended elementary school in Brooklyn, and at the age of eleven, he began to work in a local office as a clerk. At the age of twelve, he began to learn the printers trade and fell in love with the ‘written word’. Whitman, who mostly taught himself, avidly read the works of Shakespeare, Dante and Homer. Over the next few years, he worked as a printer at the Patriot and Stars newspapers in Brooklyn until in 1836, when a fire demolished the industry. When Whitman turned seventeen, he started teaching at a schoolhouse in Long Island where he taught for five more years. In 1841, after working as a teacher, Whitman turned to journalism as a full time career. He founded a weekly newspaper called the Long-Islander, and later edited many of Brooklyn and New York papers. It was in 1848 when he left the Brooklyn Daily Eagle and instead became editor of the New Orleans Crescent. On his return to Brooklyn later that year, after witnessing the extreme cruelty of slavery in the slave markets back in New Orleans, he founded a â€Å"free-soil† newspaper, the Brooklyn Freeman. He then continued to develop the exclusive style of poetry that later astonished such authors as Ralph Waldo Emerson. At the outbreak of the Civil War, Whitman wrote freelance journalism and visited the wounded at New York-area hospitals. In December of 1862, he went to Washington, D.C. to care for his brother who had been wounded in the war. Overwhelmed by the sight of so many soldiers suffering, he decided to stay and work in the hospitals. He also took a job as a clerk for the Department of the Interior, which was terminated when the Secretary found that Whitman was the author of Leaves of Grass. However, Whitman never gave up.

The Ancient Egyptians and Mesopotamian cultures essays

The Ancient Egyptians and Mesopotamian cultures essays The Ancient Egyptians and Mesopotamian cultures over a period of time illustrated correspondence within both civilizations. Both cultures resembled through influence of similar geographical features, written records, government and architecture. The Ancient Egyptians and Mesopotamian cultures are geographically influenced by location and adaptation of survival skills. Both cities are located near rivers. People lived near these rivers because the rivers provided a lot of things that made life possible like water for farming, fishing, water for building and hygiene. In the mind of the Egyptians, the Nile was the supreme fertilizer and re-newer of the land. Each September the Nile floods its valley, transforming it into a huge are of marsh or lagoon. By the end of November the water retreats, leaving behind a thin covering of fertile mud ready to be planted with crops. -A history of world societies fifth edition; pg.19. At the Nile River flooding was a blessing because when the waters retreated it left behind a layer of rich silt that made farming easy. Furthermore, both cultures made transportation from province to another accessible along the river to trade a variation of goods. The survival skills of both civilizations a llowed them to cultivate their new environments during seasonal changes. Both cultures have had similar forms of writing; the Mesopotamians used a pictograph system known as Cuneiform. Whereas, Egyptians used a method of pictographic writing called "Hieroglyphic." Symbols for ideas and determinatives were also commonly used, and helped to elaborate on and make sense of what was being written about. Through their style of writing both civilization were able to communicate as well as distinguish themselves from other cultures. The Egyptians enjoyed such prosperity that they developed writing of their own, mathematical skills, and religious beliefs that influenced the lives of ...

Consider Planting an Oak in Your Yard

Consider Planting an Oak in Your Yard Red and white oaks (Quercus species) are great trees to plant in your yard and you will find one from the many oak species available to choose from. An oak is the  state tree  of Connecticut, District of Columbia, Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, Maryland and New Jersey. Oaks have always suffered from a slow growth image to the favor of planting quick-growing, short-lived native and exotic trees. Habit and Range You can find an oak species growing naturally in all 48 states. There are white and live oaks in the West. Live, red and white oaks populate the East - oaks are everywhere and are the most popular tree in the United States. In fact, the oak has been selected as Americas national tree by the National Arbor Day Foundation and found in every North American state and province. Strong Cultivars Best cultivars by preferred oak species: White Oaks - Jasper, Lincoln, Crimson SpireRed and Scarlet Oaks - Red SplendensLive Oaks - Highrise, Southern Shade Oak Plant Hardiness Zones Oaks hardy through zone 3 if selected from northern sources. Expert Comments Bur oak...is a majestic, rugged tree, extremely variable even for an oak, and tolerates a wide range of habitats...under favorable conditions, it ranks among the most impressive of all trees. - Guy Sternberg, Native Trees for North American Landscapes If but one oak could grace my garden, this (scarlet oak) would be the choice.- Michael Dirr, Dirrs Hardy Trees and Shrubs Amoung the 600 or so oak species...an elite few of these, in the right place at the right time, have inspired the kind of awe and legend attached to gods and heroes. Such trees are mainly of the white oak group. - Arthur Plotnik, The Urban Tree Book

Meningitis Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1250 words

Meningitis - Essay Example s severe and resolves without specific treatment, while bacterial meningitis can be quite severe and may result in brain damage, hearing loss, or learning disability. Meningitis hearing loss typically appears after a bout with meningitis. Before the 1990s, Haemophilus influenzae Type B (Hib) was the leading cause of bacterial meningitis, but with new vaccines as part of routine immunizations, the occurrence of this invasive disease has reduced. Today, Streptococcus pneumoniae and N. meningitidis are the leading causes of bacterial meningitis. It can be caused by various infectious agents, including viruses, fungi, and protozoa, but bacteria produce the most life-threatening infection. Factors such as age, history of head trauma cerebrospinal fluid leaks, and immune status may help determine the causative agent. The bacteria that is responsible for meningitis are the meningococcus (N. meningitidis), most important because of its potential to cause epidemics; influenza bacillus (H. influenzae); and various strains of pneumococci, streptococci, or staphylococci. H. influenzae occurs in infants and young children but only rarely in the elderly, and its course and symptoms resemble those of N. meningitidis. In adults, the bacterium pneumococcus (S. pneumoniae) is a common cause of meningitis. Meningitis hearing loss can range in varying degrees, mild, moderate, severe, profound or total. Though meningitis is a cause of hearing loss, there are others which are congenital or acquired. Hearing loss can be classified by the auditory system that is defective. The causes can be divided into two basic types: conductive and sensorineural hearing loss. Conductive hearing loss is caused by anything that interferes with the transmission of sound from the outer to the inner ear. Possible causes include: middle ear infections (otitis media); collection of fluid in the middle ear ("glue ear" in children); blockage of the outer ear (wax); damage to the eardrum by infection or an

Explain how Germany OR Denmark has sought to have both some security Essay

Explain how Germany OR Denmark has sought to have both some security and flexibility in its labour markets. Have these approach - Essay Example These market factors may include the compensation packages, daily wage rates, additional benefits and the most important one is the involvement of technology involved in the industry. As much as there is technology involvement the demand of labor will be affected by this. The fluctuation of labor market also indicates the unemployment or the employment rate of any economy. This unemployment rate is high if more technology is involved in any industry otherwise it will be low. There are certain numbers of economies who have maintained their employment rates by utilizing the entire available workforce. Germany is one of the economies who have managed their available and also potential labor and thus maintaining the labor market also. Main Body: Due to the involvement of technology in almost each and every sector, now the conditions or we can say the requirements of the labor market are very much changed. Now the companies need a highly skilled and capable work force which can be a sourc e of competitive advantage for them. The available labor at the lowest possible cost can be a foundation of competitive advantage. The quantity of labor and the capabilities of labor may be inversely related to each other. ... This willingness or the eagerness can take them even across the boundaries also. Germany is at fourth position among the largest economies in the world and also has a strong industrial base. It is also included in the list of those economies that enjoy a major part of revenues from foreign trade. There are certain medium and even small companies that cover almost two third of the workforce of the country. Germany is currently included in the list of those countries that are enjoying the lowest unemployment rates as compare to the other economies of the world. Particularly there is a variety of job availability for the young professionals also. For maintaining the labor work force, Germany is doing a good job among European Union Countries also. Even in some regions of the Germany, specifically in Southern parts there is a full employment situation also just because of managing the work force availability at a proper and right time. Companies try to utilize the fresh and energetic you ng professionals by giving them apprenticeship during or just after their studies and thus giving them training also (Germany’s Vibrant Labor Market). If the companies find the required talents during the apprenticeship then they may also hire these young individuals as a permanent employee for their organization. This managed work force or we can say the developed labor market is not very old in the Germany. In 2005 the unemployment rate of German economy was the highest one as compare to other countries. But then the Government officials handle it. And now they have excelled over it. There can be two reasons for this almost full employment situation. One can be the Government economic

Business security and globalization issues that Mexico face Research Paper

Business security and globalization issues that Mexico face - Research Paper Example Global issues†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ Bribery and corruption†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ Terrorist threat†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. Organized crime†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ Border threats†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. 7 7 8 8 9 10 7 1.5 RECOMMENDED SECURITY ACTIONS Security and tracking system†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã ¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. Foreign direct investment†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. Assistance from security agencies†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦.. Evacuation plan†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. Competitive management†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ State and local regulatory†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 10 10 11 11 11 12 12 8 Conclusion†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦. 13 9 References†¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â ‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 14 Outline of Security issues and threats Mexico being one of the best business sites is facing many problems in relation to security issues. The security situation in Mexico is fluid and there exist conflicts among security forces. This led to increase in threats and risk in relation to the insecurity in the country. Some of the threats and preventive measures in relation to the security are discussed below: 1.1 Natural threats Mexico is suffering from just one natural threat which has affected the business economy i.e. global issues. Global issues Country have initially suffered a downturn in the business economy due to the global issues such as falling international... The intention of this study is Mexico as one the best business sites. It has provided many opportunities and growth to international businesses. It involves less cost of conducting a business as compared to other Asian countries. Though Mexico had promoted businesses in all aspects but it has negative aspects also, which are harming the working of business such as risk related to securities. Since 2007, more than 24000 people have been killed due to drug violence. Smuggling of drugs and goods is becoming quite common on borders which are increasing risk of trading companies that conduct operations on borders. Small businesses have also become security minded and they take precautions while travelling to Mexico, especially in border and capital regions. This shows that businesses are investing more on security in order to perform business in Mexico, which in result increases the cost and reduces profitability of the company. Mexico is a federal constitutional republic of North America and is bordered in the north of United States. It covers two million square kilometers i.e. 760,000 sq mi. on the basis of this area it is the fifth largest country in America. Researchers identified that its current population is around 112 million and is eleventh most populated country in the world. Spanish is the most popular language in Mexico. This country comprises of thirty one states and one federal district which is a capital city. Mexico is one of the best business locations as compared to 112 cities in Europe, North America and Asia Pacific.

US History Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 2

US History - Essay Example Zinn occurs to point out how the wicked weaknesses of men may be conveyed and discerned through their approach of treating women. Regardless of disposition, apparently, it is the inherent consideration of men to govern and create their choice of perception freely which sets a state of disturbance in equilibrium for which history can be schemed against to distribute strength eventually in such a way as for developing societies to realize all the dues of women at an instant of being oppressed. In the process of addressing such imbalance of natures and share of control, the shaping of history bears witness to slavery which is not merely confined to gender but to color discrimination as well and the attributes of the oppressors who are chiefly males with mixed gender affiliates. Consequently, the political struggle in an intimate oppression of several forms, designating women as sex slaves, child bearers, servants, and companions, would amount to an amply great cause for women to take a gradual course of action. In resolving to put the people’s history in a context of inequality between sexes as the principal issue of crises across times, women are bound to make an impact through stories that indicate paths to achieving sensible ends with each personal battle. This, as it turns out, is for the world to understand that history, as a deadly tool, is more than a demonstration of established laws, economies, and industries according to potentials that reside in men. By inferring â€Å"It would be an exaggeration to say that women were treated equally with men; but they were treated with respect, and the communal nature of the society gave them a more important place†, Zinn likely takes the position of persuading his readers toward the belief that gender inequality matters with huge influence and serves as a chronic disease that can only be dealt with by a

Macro12.13 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Macro12.13 - Essay Example There have been more investments and more growth of GDP (Pethokoukis 2012). The rise in OPEC oil prices as a result of fall in supply leads to a fall in demand for oil. The import of oil reduces by the oil importing countries. The prices of goods in the economy rise, and the rise depends upon the economy’s dependence on oil imports. Hence the rate of inflation soars high causing a macroeconomic slowdown (See figure below). The rate at which the economies recover from the recession depends upon the monetary policies adopted by the government. If the money supply curve is more elastic, the government targets to put control upon the interest rate. At lower interest rates the investors would be encouraged to make investments and the economy would recover faster. 3. Adaptive expectation is based on the principle that economic agents build their expectation of any macroeconomic variable, as the inflation rate or price level, as a weighted average of their past observations regarding that variable. Adaptive expectations are used in forecasting figures taking into consideration the interest and inflation rates. In this formation the agents ignore the changes taking place in the monetary and fiscal policies and only base their expectations on the past observations. One of the components of the rational expectation hypothesis, Robert E. Lucas, has emphasized upon the fact that the economic agents exhibit rational behavior by making a forecast of the economic variables taking into consideration the past as well as the present information available. If the government announces an inflation rate and chooses a different rate and increases the money supply, producers would increase output following the increase in prices. In the short run, this would increase output level in the economy, but with rational expectations, the agents would endogenize the discretionary policy of the government, at which point output

Sunoco case study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Sunoco - Case Study Example Though it has managed to garner 14% increase in net income through cutting expenses, the loss in shareholders’ value has become a major concern. The company is faced with challenges of reducing cost through restructuring and evolving new business model. As a result, Cindy Hartley was appointed as Senior Vice President of HR by CEO, Harris DeLoach so as to bring about necessary changes within the organization. It is believed that new business model would enhance organizational capabilities in terms of human resource and provide it with flexible approach to meet the challenges of time. Sonoco’s traditional model of business is faced with huge challenges of competitive business due to rapid globalization and advancing technology. The overcapacity within the industry has forced businesses to consolidate and diversify to regions like South East Asia, specifically China and India where low production cost helps to maintain leverage. Initially, industrial packaging had accounted for 55% of its revenue but now the trend seems to have reversed. Consumer packaging now represents 70% of industrial revenue and operates within the broader framework of global business environment. Branding and market segmentation have also become very important aspects which have redefined the role of packaging within the new business imperatives. Retail packaging has become vital part of marketing of goods. This has further escalated financial burden as creative inputs in design require new technology that would equip organizations with hi-tech tools of designing. Most importantly, So noco has realized that in the dynamic business environment, people centric policies have become central to business goals and must be developed to compete in the highly competitive business environment. The major problem of Sonoco is that its HR strategies are not aligned with the business goals and objectives. Though it has centralized HR policy but each of the Divisions of Sonoco works independently

US History Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words - 2

US History - Essay Example Zinn occurs to point out how the wicked weaknesses of men may be conveyed and discerned through their approach of treating women. Regardless of disposition, apparently, it is the inherent consideration of men to govern and create their choice of perception freely which sets a state of disturbance in equilibrium for which history can be schemed against to distribute strength eventually in such a way as for developing societies to realize all the dues of women at an instant of being oppressed. In the process of addressing such imbalance of natures and share of control, the shaping of history bears witness to slavery which is not merely confined to gender but to color discrimination as well and the attributes of the oppressors who are chiefly males with mixed gender affiliates. Consequently, the political struggle in an intimate oppression of several forms, designating women as sex slaves, child bearers, servants, and companions, would amount to an amply great cause for women to take a gradual course of action. In resolving to put the people’s history in a context of inequality between sexes as the principal issue of crises across times, women are bound to make an impact through stories that indicate paths to achieving sensible ends with each personal battle. This, as it turns out, is for the world to understand that history, as a deadly tool, is more than a demonstration of established laws, economies, and industries according to potentials that reside in men. By inferring â€Å"It would be an exaggeration to say that women were treated equally with men; but they were treated with respect, and the communal nature of the society gave them a more important place†, Zinn likely takes the position of persuading his readers toward the belief that gender inequality matters with huge influence and serves as a chronic disease that can only be dealt with by a

Sunoco case study Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1500 words

Sunoco - Case Study Example Though it has managed to garner 14% increase in net income through cutting expenses, the loss in shareholders’ value has become a major concern. The company is faced with challenges of reducing cost through restructuring and evolving new business model. As a result, Cindy Hartley was appointed as Senior Vice President of HR by CEO, Harris DeLoach so as to bring about necessary changes within the organization. It is believed that new business model would enhance organizational capabilities in terms of human resource and provide it with flexible approach to meet the challenges of time. Sonoco’s traditional model of business is faced with huge challenges of competitive business due to rapid globalization and advancing technology. The overcapacity within the industry has forced businesses to consolidate and diversify to regions like South East Asia, specifically China and India where low production cost helps to maintain leverage. Initially, industrial packaging had accounted for 55% of its revenue but now the trend seems to have reversed. Consumer packaging now represents 70% of industrial revenue and operates within the broader framework of global business environment. Branding and market segmentation have also become very important aspects which have redefined the role of packaging within the new business imperatives. Retail packaging has become vital part of marketing of goods. This has further escalated financial burden as creative inputs in design require new technology that would equip organizations with hi-tech tools of designing. Most importantly, So noco has realized that in the dynamic business environment, people centric policies have become central to business goals and must be developed to compete in the highly competitive business environment. The major problem of Sonoco is that its HR strategies are not aligned with the business goals and objectives. Though it has centralized HR policy but each of the Divisions of Sonoco works independently

Financial Inclusion Essay Example for Free

Financial Inclusion Essay Role of Government in financial inclusion Abstract:- This research paper contains the full information about the financial inclusion of the world’s economic. In this research paper we describe the financial inclusion basic meaning, definitions, scope significance. Now we move towards the second phase which include role of government role of banks in financial inclusion. we also include the reforms that has been done by the government and the other government organizations . We also include the main article that has been given by the different ministers about financial inclusion its reform. Financial Inclusion Meaning: Financial inclusion is a policy adopted by many countries to include more people in the financial set up of the country. It aims at tackling poverty and deprivation in the country. In simple terms financial inclusion refers to making the finance or the financial/banking sector more accessible to people. For example: Debit cards, internet banking and direct debit facilities are now common, convenient and cheap ways of paying for goods and services. Yet there are still people who are excluded from using these services. People who are losing out as they are unable to take advantage of the benefits offered by the range of financial products available. In developing and poor countries like Bangladesh, Nepal, Afgan etc there are many people who do not even have a bank account or who are unable to take advantage of the loans and deposit benefits offered by banks due to various reasons like lack of knowledge, fear, lack of proximity etc. Today, personal debt is at a record igh and borrowing without a bank account means using high interest lenders. Many of the people in this position live in our poorest communities and find themselves without choice or access to basic financial services, making it even more difficult to find routes out of poverty. Defination: Financial Inclusion is the delivery of banking services at affordable costs to vast sections of disadvantaged and low income groups. Unrestrained access to public goods and servic es is the sine qua non of an open and efficient society. It is argued that as banking services are in the nature of public good, it is essential that availability of banking and payment services to the entire population without discrimination is the prime objective of public policy. The term Financial Inclusion has gained importance since the early 2000s, and is a result of findings about Financial Exclusion and its direct correlation to poverty. Financial Inclusion is now a common objective for many central banks among the developing nations. Financial Inclusion in India The Reserve Bank of India setup a commission (Khan Commission) in 2004 to look into Financial Inclusion and the recommendations of the commission were incorporated into the Mid-term review of the policy (2005-06). In the report RBI exhorted the banks with a view of achieving greater Financial Inclusion to make available a basic no-frills banking account. In India, Financial Inclusion first featured in 2005, when it was introduced, that, too, from a pilot project in UT of Pondicherry, by K C Chakraborthy, the chairman of Indian Bank. Mangalam Village became the first village in India where all households were provided banking facilities. In addition to this KYC (Know your Customer) norms were relaxed for people intending to open accounts with annual deposits of less than Rs. 50, 000. General Credit Cards (GCC) were issued to the poor and the disadvantaged with a view to help them access easy credit. In January 2006, the Reserve Bank permitted commercial banks to make use of the services of non-governmental organizations (NGOs/SHGs), micro-finance institutions and other civil society organizations as intermediaries for providing financial and banking ervices. These intermediaries could be used as business facilitators (BF) or business correspondents (BC) by commercial banks. The bank asked the commercial banks in different regions to start a 100% Financial Inclusion campaign on a pilot basis. As a result of the campaign states or U. T. s like Puducherry, Himachal Pradesh and Kerala have announced 100% financial in clusion in all their districts. Reserve Bank of India’s vision for 2020 is to open nearly 600 million new customers accounts and service them through a variety of channels by leveraging on IT. However, illiteracy and the low income savings and lack of bank branches in rural areas continue to be a road block to financial inclusion in many states. Apart from this there are certain in Current model which is followed. There is inadequate legal and financial structure. India being a mostly agrarian economy hardly has schemes which lend for agriculture. Along with Microfinance we need to focus on Micro insurance too. The scope of financial inclusion The scope of financial inclusion can be expanded in two ways. ) through state-driven intervention by way of statutory enactments ( for instance the US example, the Community Reinvestment Act and making it a statutory right to have bank account in France). b) through voluntary effort by the banking community itself for evolving various strategies to bring within the ambit of the banking sector the large strata of society. When bankers do not give the desired attention to certain areas, the regulators have to step in to remedy the situ ation. This is the reason why the Reserve Bank of India is placing a lot of emphasis on financial inclusion. In India the focus of the financial inclusion at present is confined to ensuring a bare minimum access to a savings bank account without frills, to all. Internationally, the financial exclusion has been viewed in a much wider perspective. Having a current account / savings account on its own, is not regarded as an accurate indicator of financial inclusion. There could be multiple levels of financial inclusion and exclusion. At one extreme, it is possible to identify the ‘super-included’, i. e. , those customers who are actively and persistently courted by the financial ervices industry, and who have at their disposal a wide range of financial services and products. At the other extreme, we may have the financially excluded, who are denied access to even the most basic of financial products. In between are those who use the banking services only for deposits and withdrawals of money. But these persons may have only restricted access to the financial system, and may not en joy the flexibility of access offered to more affluent customers. Steps towards financial inclusion

Effects of Age on Economic Growth

Effects of Age on Economic Growth 1.0 LITERATURE REVIEW People today, live longer and often healthier lives owing to advances in various areas. It is a challenge to maintain and plan longer lives. Societal ageing hampers economic growth and issues such as sustainability of families, the states and communities capacity to provide for older people. A quick look at the recent decline in fertility rates combined with increases in life expectancy and strong evolution from past fluctuations in birth and death rates depicts a really significant shift in the global age structure. So much so that by 2050, twenty two percent of the worlds population will be over the age of 60 or a figure reaching almost 2 billion compared to expectations for year 2020 of 1 billion. As for citizens aged 80 or above, statistics predict an increase from 1 to 4 percent. It is undeniable that a countrys economic character will tend to change as its population ages since different age groups have different economic needs and productive capabilities. These changes can be measured by assuming a certain age-specific behaviour in relation to earnings, employment and savings and to assess the implications of modifications in the relative size of different age groups for these main contributors to the national income. However this tends to be misleading in the long run. Normally, changing expectations about life cycle and demographic shifts are likely to entail behavioural changes and thereby influencing economic consequences of ageing. One good example is an individual who expects to live longer than his ancestors who will continue to work for longer and therefore start benefiting his savings at a later age. 2.0 WORLD AGEING SITUATION Rapid reduction in infant mortality rates coupled with a dynamic fall in the death rate has resulted in a sharp rise in the proportion of older people in the population. This phenomenon of ageing population is fast becoming a worldwide problem. In 1950 there were about 200 million people above 60 years old in the world. This figure has risen some 616 million in the year 2000 and is expected to rise to 1.2 billion in 2025. A majority of them, about 72% of the total, will be living in developing countries. The projections indicate that the demographic transition will proceed much more rapidly in developing countries than it did previously in developed ones. The continuing fertility decline in many developing countries today is faster than the gradual decline experienced by the currently developed countries. In the developing countries, therefore, the pace of population ageing will exceed the pace in the developed countries. For example, it took France and Belgium more than 100 years to double the rate of the population over 60 from 9% to 18%. In Mauritius, the same change will occur in only 25 years. 3.0 Mortality and Life Expectancy We are ageing not just as individuals or communities but as a world. There were almost 500 million People aged 65 and above across the world in 2006 and that number is likely to reach 1 billion by 2030. An increase in the ageing population is more significant in developing countries, which is expected to rise to 140 percent by 2030. For the first time in human history, children under age 5 will be outnumbered by people age 65 and over. Life expectancy is steadily rising and the number of oldest people aged 85 and over is increasing. Chronic non communicable diseases are now becoming the main cause of death among elderly in both developed and developing countries. Some populations are going to shrink in the next decades. In some countries, the total population is decreasing simultaneously with the increase of an ageing world population. The growth of a very old population can have the following implications: 1. Retirement money and pensions will have to cover a longer period of life. 2. Even if disability rates decrease, health care costs are going to rise. PROJECTED INCREASE IN GLOBAL POPULATION BETWEEN 2005 AND 2030, BY AGE 4.0 THE ECONOMIC AND FINANCIAL CONSEQUENCES OF POPULATION AGEING 4.1 The importance of age structure. Economic growth may be influenced by changes in population age structure. To analyse age structure, a life-cycle perspective is adopted, based on peoples economic needs and contributions during the various stages of life. The ratio of consumption to production is higher for the young and old people and lower for working adults. The key drivers of economic growth such as labour, productivity, consumption and savings vary according to where people fall in the life cycle. Labour and savings are higher among working adults than among those aged above 60. Declining fertility and mortality rates during the past four decades have significantly changed the age structure of the population. There will be a 23% increase in the proportion of the elderly population. The proportion of the population aged under 15 is expected to decline to 19% in the next four decades. The population of the Republic of Mauritius will continue to age. Both past and projected ageing is illustrated in Table 2. The elderly population will triple in the next four decades to attain 332,000 with more women (184,000) than men (148,000). Table 1 presents a summary of the projections and gives the evolution of the pensioner support ratio for two cases, i.e age of retirement is 60 and 65 years. Table 2 gives the evolution of the life expectancy. Life expectancy was quite low in 1950 compared to the present level. Life expectancy has significantly improved over the past fifty years and is expected to improve further in the future. 4.2 Social Security Benefits Social Security benefits and public sector pensions are among the sectors that will certainly be affected by the ageing issue. Nowadays, the composition of social security benefits is two-fold, non contributory and contributory. Basic retirement pensions of the elderly and the elderly invalids irrespective of their economic status are non-contributory benefits wholly financed by government. The actuarial report on the National Pensions Fund has drawn attention to the fact that future increases in the number of pensioners will make the financing of basic retirement pensions an increasing burden on resources. The cost of basic retirement pensions rose sharply from about Rs 2.3 billion in 1999/2000 and is estimated to be Rs 3.5 billion in 2015 and Rs 6.4 billion in 2035. Examination of the implications of the projected strain on government resources is therefore becoming a high priority. Assuming that the rate of basic pension remains more or less the same, it should be noted that an in crease in pension age from 60 to 65 would lead to significant saving to the government in respect of basic pensions. Tax revenues may also increase as a result of employment continuing between ages 60 and 65 but there would be no financial impact on the NPF as a result of these changes. Welfare services such as long term care and any payment (other than from the NPF) to the elderly out of the state budget which are likely to increase faster than GDP in future are other examples of financial implications of ageing on state budgets. The ageing of the population will increase the financial strain on the state budget in future as follows: Basic pension expenditure (all of which is financed by general taxation) is projected to increase by 75% in some twenty years and to almost triple by 2040 if present pension rates are maintained. Expenditure from the NPF is projected to exceed contribution income by 2015. Part of the NPF expenditure will need to be met by investment income, most of which is derived from Government bonds or loans. In the absence of corrective measures, the investment income required to meet NPF expenditure would be derived largely from taxation. Expenditure on public service pensions is projected to increase by about 80% in real terms over the next 20 years, that is , from about 11/4% to 21/4% of GDP; Expenditure on healthcare and social services for the elderly can also be expected to increase substantially over the same period. To ensure that the state pension system remain financially sustainable in future, many countries are increasing the minimum state pension age. In Mauritius, the expectation of life at age 60 is significantly higher than when the current pension system was introduced. There has also been improvement in the health of the retired population aged 60 above, thereby enabling many of them to continue to work. Provided they have sufficient financial resources many people might decide to retire from their main occupation before the state pension age. In these cases it seems reasonable that the individuals or their employers finance the early retirement. 4.3 BUDGETARY MEASURES In his budget speech 2011, the Minister of Finance commented all our elders deserve to live in dignity. The wealth we are creating today, the prosperity we are enjoying also bear the indelible footprints of their hard work. They must get their fair share. The government of Mauritius is preparing for the challenges of an ageing population and ramp up its support for our seniors. The Mauritian population is ageing .It is a new trend with new implications for economic and social policies. The government must provide for the changing needs such as new patterns of consumption and greater demand for health care. The government wants to make of Mauritius a society that can allow its elderly to live the high quality of life that they deserve. It is essential that Mauritius is on top of the issues of an ageing population and formulate effective policies. The second measure relates to health care for the elderly. A carers strategy and Action Plan will be prepared to address all issues relating to the need of our elderly population for carers Services. Third, the NEF will leverage on the high level of women seeking employment to train women in the skills and knowledge required to give care to elderly people. The training will provide certification and allow them to register as professional carers with the Ministry of Social Security and be given a certified carer ID. Fourth, the Cite des Metiers will open a section dedicated to facilitate our seniors in their search for carers and other services. Fifth, a new recreational centre for elderly, costing Rs 120 million and with a swimming pool, will soon be inaugurated at Belle Mare. Recreational centres are being constructed at Pointe aux Piments and at Riambel. Sixth, a get together Programme is being set up to give our elders who live alone and are on social aid the opportunity to socialize around a hot meal once weekly. Seventh, the government is extending the additional monthly allowance for persons suffering from incontinence to bed-ridden beneficiaries of Basic Retirement Pension aged 75 years and above. Eighth, to protect more the seniors from normal and regular flu outbreaks and from pandemics such as the HINI virus, free vaccinations against flu are being extended to our elders aged 60 years and above. Ninth, the government will invest in two low floor buses for senior citizens for outings from the recreation centres at Belle Mare and Pointe aux sables. Tenth, government is increasing the amount of income tax exemption for lump-sum on retirement and severance from Rs 1 million to Rs 1.5 million. For elders who have toiled hard in the sugar industry, the government is amending the Sugar Industry Pension Fund Act to allow payment of benefits to exceed two-thirds of final salary. 4.4 Accounting Effects If age-specific behavior in respect of labour supply and savings were fixed, labour supply and savings per capita would decrease with a rising elderly share of the population. Keeping all other factors such as productivity and migration equal, this would imply lower growth in income per capita. Peter Peterson (1999), argued that, global ageing could trigger a crisis that engulfs the world economy and may even threaten democracy itself. Alan Greenspan (2003), former U.S Federal Reserve Chairman has stated that ageing in the United States makes our social security and Medicare programs unsustainable in the long run. The European Unions Economic Policy Committee (2010) is more measured in its assessment of the threat: The ageing of the population is becoming a growing challenge to the sustainability of public finances in the EU Member States. The increase of the ratio between the number of retirees and the number of workers will gradually increase expenditure on public pensions and health and thus creates difficulties on maintaining a sound balance between future public expenditure and tax revenues. The retirement of baby boomers and the increase in the share of elderly in the population will create economic and fiscal stresses on the second decade of the 21st century. These demographic developments, if not offset by changes in household behavior and government fiscal policy, will reduce the number of workers in relation to the population needing support and lower the national saving rate. The result will be slower growth in national income and consumption after 2010. Aging-related expenditures are one of the fastest growing components of government expenditures. Over the next 40 years, the share of working adults will decline from 59 percent of the population to about 56 percent. The share of older adults (65 and over) will increase from just over 12 percent to almost 21 percent of the population. The higher costs of supporting these retirees will be offset partially by lower costs of supporting children, as the share of the population age 19 and under will drop from 29 percent to just over 23 percent 4.5 Future Labour supply After 2010 the population between ages 20 and 64 will decline and the percentage of people over age 65 will increase dramatically. These changes reflect the short run effect of the ageing of baby boomers while the long-run effect of reduced fertility and increased life expectancy. If labour force participation rates in each age group remain the same, the ratio of workers to retirees will decline sharply between 2010 and 2030. A decrease in the share of workers in the population means that, if all else remains the same, output per capita and living standards will be lower than they otherwise would have been if the share of workers had remained stable. The change in age composition of the population will reduce the share of workers and increase the share of dependent elderly. The increase in experience associated with an older workforce will raise average earnings and productivity per worker. With better health and increased life expectancies, one can expect individuals to work longer. As shown in Bloom, Canning, Mansfield and Moore (2007), the response to rising life expectancy is to increase the number of working years and the number of years in retirement proportionately, without changing period-specific saving behaviour. While a large set of factors such as increasing demand for leisure, general increases in wealth and difficult labour markets have contributed to low labour force participation among the elderly, social security systems have undoubtedly been a key reason for the continued low labour force participation among the elderly. Even if individuals decide not to work longer, increased life expectancies can be expected to induce increased savings over the working life in order to finance a continued high standard of life in retirement. As the elderly are healthier, they can work longer and more productively and place fewer demands on public resources. Businesse s can play a role in encouraging older workers to continue working, and they can in turn benefit from such workers experience and reliability. Allowing flexible schedules, offering ongoing training in new skills, providing wellness programmes, and re-allocating physically demanding tasks to younger workers are measures that can help retain the older segment of the workforce. 4.6 Consequences for Living Standards Labour supply adequacy is one factor influencing standard of living of the population. It refers to the ratio of the quality-adjusted workforce to the total consumption needs of the population. But not all people have equal consumption needs. For example, the government spends much more per capita on the over-65 population than it does on other age groups. Demographic trends will have adverse effects on economic growth after 2010, due in large part to the slowdown in the growth of the workforce and the increase in spending on age-related government transfers. But the effects do not appear to be catastrophic. The economy will continue to grow, even at a slower rate. Capital will increase considerably, even though lower national savings rate, as a smaller workforce requires less capital. Individual and population ageing are not gender neutral. Womens entitlement to goods and services over time is closely related to their work history, pension, property and inheritance rights. Old women generally occupy a precarious economic position, as they have accumulated fewer financial reserves than men, have fewer assets of their own and, more often than not, experience a weakening of their control over the family assets with the death of the husband. Poverty is a real threat to women as they get older. It is therefore imperative that any financial and social scheme developed to care for an ageing population should include targeted policies for the support of the elderly women. 4.7 Theories of Saving One of the most important theories of saving is the life-cycle model (LCM), which predicts that people will save in order to translate their fluctuating levels of income into smooth paths of consumption. Consumption implies that households borrow when young, save when middle-aged, and spend savings, or dissave, when old. The life-cycle Model assumes that people by death would have consumed all their wealth and that people have unlimited access to capital markets at a single interest rate paid by borrowers or received by savers. Given these assumptions, the pure LCM implies pronounced differences in annual saving rates by age, with consumption fluctuating with changes in permanent income but not transitory income. The private sector of the economy will account for a larger share of the nations saving in the future. Maintaining private saving in the face of potentially increased public dissaving will be critical for continuing future economic prosperity. While changing demographic may increase private saving, the government should also create appropriate incentives for private saving. 4.8 Influences on Public Savings Public saving is what is left of taxes after subtracting transfers, interest paid on government debt, and government consumption. Public saving is also government investment minus the budget deficit. Future public saving will be affected by the ageing of the population because major government transfer programs-social security and the health programs (Medicare and Medicaid)- disproportionately benefit the elderly. Danziger et al. found that the elderly not only do not dissave to finance their consumption during retirement, they spend less on consumption goods and services than the young at all levels of income. Moreover, the oldest old save the most at a given levels of income. At the same time, while their human capital and private pension wealth is being depleted, especially at the most advanced ages, the elderly face a complex problem of uncertainty about their health, life expectancy, and ability to maintain independent households. In these circumstances, they reduce their consumption to maintain their wealth. The problem of population ageing, which is a consequence of fertility decline, has become the new bÃÆ'Â ªte noire of development, replacing rapid population growth, a consequence of high fertility. It is ironic that population ageing and rapid population growth are two faces of the same coin: fertility. Both population growth and ageing have an adverse effect on savings, it is argued, as the young and the old are more consumers than producers, and thus dependent on the working population. The orthodox debate not only ignores the positive contribution that the old could and do make to the economy, but also fails to recognize the fact that there are other sections of the population, such as the unemployed, who are also supported by the working population. From a long term point of view, however, it is the working age and not just the working population that matters. Keynes and others argued that population ageing would reduce growth via its adverse impact on aggregate demand and inve stment, and not because of a higher tax burden and government expenditure on social security and pensions. The relevance of this approach to the current debate on ageing in its integrated view of the demand and supply or consumption and production implications of population ageing, in contrast to the orthodox approach which is primarily concerned with the consumption effects of ageing. The economic implications of an ageing population are intricately intertwined with the macroeconomic performance of a society over time. At the macro level it is the current output that has to pay for the subsistence of the population, young or old, at working age or retired. The current output, however, depends in part on past savings and investment. In other words the work and savings of the present generation provide subsistence and employment for the present as well as for the future generation. The benefits of growing national income and increased productivity will not, however, be distributed equally among the old whose claim on the national income depends on their accumulated assets, including savings and pensions. An economy which distributes its assets and income unequally over its working age population carries such inequalities into old age, thus creating a differentiated group of old people. This has to be taken into account in the setting up of national pension plans in order to prevent hardship among those old people whose poverty when of working age prevented them from saving for their old age.

Book report lord of the rings :: essays research papers

Vol. III - THE RETURN OF THE KINGS: Everyone except Frodo and Sam arrives at the kingdom of Gondor, and though the people of Gondor are amazed and frightened at first by the huge army of walking trees that accompany them, everyone smiles and accepts them when Gandalf and Aragorn reveal themselves. The brothers Denethor and Boromir, however, see that Aragorn brings knowledge from the North which will give their kingship over to Faramir, the true King, and so they secretly conspire against him. And so later on, when the forces of Mordor arrive to attack Gondor, they successfully plot to have Aragorn positioned so he must face the Witch-King in single combat. The battle is too much for Aragorn, and just as he is about to die he is saved by Eowyn, a woman of Rohan who loves him, and Merry, who slays the Witch-king in single combat by using ancient hobbit-magic and so reveals himself to be the lost Thain of the Shire. Even as the forces of Mordor retreat, they are swept into the Sea by great ships brought by Faramir, the tr ue Prince of Dol Amroth, from the hidden city of Osgiliath further up the Great River. Meanwhile Sam chases the tarantula back to the lair of Ungoliant, the Queen of Spiders, and after a tense argument about the nature of good and evil she finally reveals to Sam the cure for the spider's-venom which holds Frodo in thrall. Sam thanks Ungoliant for her mercy and wisdom and revives Frodo, and they set off into Mordor to find Gollum. "Oft help will come from the weak when the Wise are foolish," Gandalf once said, and sure enough all the spiders of Mordor are willing to help Frodo and Sam in their quest. Their course leads them to Mount Doom, where just as they arrive they find Gollum claiming the Ring for himself. The Dark Lord Sauron then becomes aware of them, and leaves the Dark Tower to come forth and destroy them; but just them Frodo and Sam rush Gollum and force him backwards into the Cracks of Doom. The Ring is destroyed, and without it Sauron is destroyed by the sunlight. Frodo and Sam leave the Mountain just in time to see the great armies of Aragorn and Faramir coming across the plains of Mordor to greet them. Boromir and Denethor are driven away from Gondor forever, but mercifully spared by King Faramir, and Aragorn is revealed to be the long-lost King of Arnor, the North-Kingdom of old.